Stories from Our Streets

A reflection from Renovare’s Managing Director, Julie Davis.

At our final ‘Stories from our Streets’ concert last Thursday night, I found myself reflecting on the arc of the entire Documentary Songwriting Project highlighting the Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood and its residents. 

Before I was hired as the Managing Director, I was the project’s documentary photographer, so I had the privilege of meeting the residents and observing the songwriting process that Rebecca and Lalia guided each participant through.

During the early parts of the sessions, there was a palpable sense of discomfort from the participants. They were unsure of the process and many of them were meeting me for the first time. (It’s not easy to sing in front of strangers!)

But as Lalia and Rebecca reassured them and patiently moved them through creating their song, when the melodies began to take shape, something beautiful happened. People’s eyes lit up—the discomfort melted away and you could tell there was a real ownership of their song from that point forward.

With each session, I watched participants grow more comfortable—not just with the music, but with us. By the time the concerts rolled around, these weren’t just collaborators—they had become friends. Our bond was forged not only through the music they created but through the shared journey of being seen and heard.

What struck me most at the final concert wasn’t just the incredible songs that had been created, but the relationships that had blossomed. The sense of community was tangible, and in that moment, I realized the full impact of what this project had done for all of us–it formed relationships based on mutual trust. It was truly a joyful night for me to witness everything that had transpired through the ‘Stories From Our Streets’ DocSong project.

Renovare Music is so grateful to Leah and Justin Ross (New City Cleveland) for inviting us into this community on the east side of Cleveland to help highlight the stories of some incredible residents. The Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood has been shaped by over 50 years of racist redlining and housing discrimination, where to this day more than half of residents live below the poverty line. Yet, the deep sense of community and the resilience of the Buckeye-Woodhill residents are a testament to their strength and their hope for a better future. Together, we wanted to celebrate the deep ties and the real stories that have been forged in this community through Documentary Songwriting. Although the concerts have ended, the relationships built have not, and we are excited to continue to grow in our connection with this beautiful neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland.